April 23, 2020

WG Sr. Vice Chairman Albert Keck Op-Ed Published

An illuminating op-ed on agriculture and the COVID-19 pandemic penned by Albert Keck, WG Sr. Vice Chairman and President of Hadley Date Gardens, Albert Keck, was published in The Desert Sun this week.

In the op-ed, Keck details the value of agriculture to the economy of the Coachella Valley and the food security of our nation. While his message is directed to his local community, his words illustrate the broader importance of supporting our industry not only during the pandemic, but during normal times, as well.

“Like other essential workers who are stepping up and facing the added hardships and risks associated with working during a pandemic, farmers and agricultural workers are not retreating. They know that what they do is a responsibility,” Keck states.

Keck explains the safety practices being implemented by farmers to protect their employees, and notes that many farms have lost their food service and restaurant customers, which has resulted in many unharvested crops being disced under because of canceled contracts.

He also details the extremely complex landscape of food production and distribution, and points out that, “for decades leading up to the current pandemic, vibrant restaurants and stocked store shelves were something we took for granted.”

Click here to read the full op-ed.